out of the black
by wild wolf free17
Summary: post-movie drabbles; River, a crossover, and Simon the telepath, so far
1. hear the sorrow of Daedalus

**Title**: hear the sorrow of Daedalus

**Disclaimer**: not my characters

**Warnings**: post-film

**Pairings**: none

**Rating**: PG  
**Wordcount**: 165

**Point of view**: third

**Prompt**: Firefly, author's choice, "Pity not Icarus, for he touched the sky."

* * *

They told her, with their cold hands and sharp instruments, with their biting words and their scalding lies, they told her and told her and told her again, _you're special and great and we have to break you, must break you, not meant for us, become what we want, break break break_

They burned her wings, shattered her mind, left her tattered and torn and wrong, and her brother, though he tries, can never mend her. She's broken.

But she still flies, her and Serenity, they still soar through the black, far from any fences or locks, away from those who would ground her forever, who would bloody her wings, who would _cage_ her.

Her brother asks her what she's thinking about, curled up in Wash's chair. His ghost stands next to her, whispering the ship's secrets, and she's almost sure Simon doesn't want to know that.

So she says, "Icarus touched the sky," and her brother gives her a sad smile, pressing a kiss to her forehead.


	2. You were the wind and I the sea

**Title**: You were the wind and I the sea

**Fandom**: Sherlock (BBC)/Firefly

**Disclaimer**: not my characters; title from Sara Teasdale

**Warnings**: spoilers for The Great Game; takes place half a year after Serenity

**Pairings**: implied Sherlock/John; Simon/Kaylee; post-Zoe/Wash

**Rating**: PG

**Wordcount**: 430

**Point** **of** **view**: third

**Prompt**: Sherlock (BBC)/Firefly, Sherlock + or / John, and Serenity's crew, Mal had no idea his latest cargo was smuggling one man's heart across the 'verse. This was déjà vu all over again.

* * *

Watson's quiet, keeps to himself, and saves Mal's life dockside, halfway to their destination.

"You're a gorram doctor?" Mal demands, while Watson shoves his shirt into the wound, grabs Mal's gun, and shoots the dirty bastards who ambushed them.

"Stay still, Captain," Watson tells him, barely looking up and still getting the ringleader between the eyes.

Zoe and Jayne show up then and Watson barks out orders, but Mal decides it's a nice time to black out.

0o0

Watson is a model passenger. The Tams could learn from him. Simon asks him questions over supper, and Watson answers civilly, drawing more from Simon than Mal thinks he realizes.

Jayne asks about the shooting. That, Watson neatly avoids, and Jayne ends up talking for ten minutes about his childhood home. By the time he catches on, supper is over and Watson thanks them all for the food, departing silently.

River watches him go. "What is it?" Simon asks, Kaylee leaning forward, all of them waiting.

River smiles and says, "His heart's big enough for everyone, and he'll keep it safe 'til they're together and two become one again."

Mal looks at Zoe, then back to River. "So, he's not a threat, then?"

Pushing back from the table, River shakes her head. "Not to us," she says, rising to her feet and spinning in place. "Not ever, unless we hurt his heart."

She stops suddenly, glancing around covertly before whispering, "Wanna hear a secret?"

"Yeah," Kaylee murmurs, leaning in.

River looks around one more time before telling them, "His heart couldn't be burnt, because it was never his alone."

Mal has no idea what that means. Going by their expressions, no one knows. Not that that's close to bein' new.

River dances her way out of the room. Mal shakes his head and leans back in his chair.

"At least we got another doc," Jayne says. "One that can even shoot."

Simon gives him a polite glare and sternly rises to his feet, following his sister. Kaylee's at his heels, taking his hand and murmuring something.

"What do you think?" Mal asks Zoe.

She ponders for a moment, rubbing a hand gently across her swelling belly. "I want to trust him," she finally says, slowly, like it's a confession. "And I believe River might have the right of it." She meets Mal's eyes. "He is a dangerous man, but not to us. At least, not at the moment."

"Yeah," Mal says. "That's what I think, too."

Hopefully, nothing else will go wrong before they reach Watson's destination.

(Knowing their luck, not gorram likely.)


	3. like fireflies and stars

**Title**: like fireflies and stars

**Disclaimer**: not my characters

**Warnings**: pre-BDM; AU

**Pairings**: Zoe/Wash, shades of Mal/Simon

**Rating**: PG

**Wordcount**: 460

**Point of view**: third

**Prompt**: Firefly, ensemble, _Simon is also a telepath but went undetected_, There's only so much trauma one mind can experience - but what about two?

* * *

Even when River sleeps, her mind is never quiet. Maybe especially then; all the paths she walks while awake flow together in dreams, and she floats from sky to sky, living a thousand lives at once.

It is fascinating to watch, and Simon hovers at the edge, waiting. She always knows he's there, but when she notices, she holds out a hand.

_Dance with me, Simon_, she says.

He takes her hand and spins around with her, like fireflies and stars, and he soaks up some of her pain, some of her fear, some of her rage -

Every time she wakes up, she is more of the little sister who went to the Academy, not the war-torn girl he saved.

0o0

Book's mind is peaceful. Simon knows he has secrets; he sees the tail-end of them. Book is a dangerous man, but not to them, not yet. Maybe not ever.

He leaves the shepherd to his sleep.

0o0

Kaylee is beautiful, inside and out. Sometimes, Simon listens to her internal monologue when he needs a pick-me-up. She chatters to the ship, and it's soothing.

Whenever River's mind lashes out, Simon latches onto Kaylee, just to remember how to breathe.

0o0

Simon went to Jayne's mind once. Just once.

There is more to the brute than he'd expected, but not enough to go back.

(A good man does hide inside the abrasive exterior. If Jayne will ever let him out is another matter entirely.)

0o0

Wash is very much like Kaylee. He dreams about the sky, and his wife, and the children they'll have some day, when life is safer.

Simon feels like an invader every time he goes to Wash's mind.

0o0

Inara's dreams are surprisingly peaceful. Her mind is always calm and collected; a small pond and a cup of tea, few clouds and a gentle breeze. She's usually planning things – her life after Serenity, most often. Where she'll go, what she'll do. Who she'll be with.

Simon only goes to her when Kaylee's mind is too loud.

0o0

Zoe's mind is dangerous, just like her. The first time he touched her, her entire body jerked, as if she'd been electrocuted. Her gaze shot around and he nearly panicked. He tried again, after he and River were allowed to stay aboard, and her eyes narrowed.

He hasn't been back.

0o0

And Mal. Mal is something else entirely. His psyche is scarred, same as his body. His dreams are never restful. Simon helps where he can, but Mal won't ever take his hand.

Simon wishes he would. Wishes he could heal any part of Mal at all.

0o0

_Dance with me, Simon, _River says.

He takes her hand, and they spin around, like fireflies and stars.

She's more and more like his little sister every day.


End file.
